Overview

The Affordable & Open Educational Resources (AOER) Committee, with support from the Colorado Department of Higher Education, UNC’s Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, and the University Libraries, seeks 10 participants for a paid, day-long OER Deep Dive professional development opportunity to happen in-person at UNC on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Participants will receive a $200 stipend. Applications are due Sunday, May 4, at 11:59pm.

Who this is for

This session is open to faculty and staff from all disciplines and units who are interested in learning more about Open Educational Resources (OER) but have not yet integrated OER into their work. If you consider yourself “OER curious,” then this session is for you!

Because this session is for OER novices and there are only 10 spots available, this session is not intended for individuals who have previously received UNC OER grants. If you’re one of those people, please pass this opportunity along to a colleague!

What you’ll get from participating

Content

• What OER are and how they’re different than other free learning resources
• How to begin integrating OER into your courses
• How use of OER contributes to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• An overview of Open Educational Practices (OEP) and open pedagogy
• Hands-on time with a librarian to find OER for your courses

Compensation

Faculty and staff who take part in the OER Deep Dive will receive a $200 stipend.

Please note: to receive the stipend, participants must commit to the full day of learning (9:00am-3:30pm).

We’ll also provide a light breakfast (pastries, fruit, coffee, etc.) and a full lunch.

When and where it will happen

• Date: Thursday, May 29, 2025
• Time: 9:00am-3:30pm
• Location: In-person in the Chin Multipurpose Room (lower level of Michener Library)

Please note: This session will be an engaging, hands-on session designed for meaningful discussion and real-time collaboration and thus will be held in-person only. There will not be a Zoom option.

How to apply

Apply for this opportunity using this form. Applications are due Sunday, May 4, at 11:59pm.

A maximum of 10 individuals can participate in this event due to funding limits. If we receive more than 10 qualified applicants, members of the AOER Committee will use this rubric to score applicants and determine the participants.

Applications can be submitted using this form or by clicking on the "apply here" button at the bottom of the page. The following questions will be asked on the application form:

1. Name
2. Email
3. Title/rank
4. College or Division
5. Department/Office/Unit
6. Have you ever received an OER grant before? (Please note: this session is intended for OER “novices” and previous grant recipients are not eligible.)
7. Why are you interested in learning more about OER?
8. How might you integrate what you learn in the OER Deep Dive session into your work, and how do you think it will benefit your students?
9. How might you share the outcomes of your work on OER with your colleagues?
10. Participants in the OER Deep Dive will receive a $200 stipend, thanks to the Colorado Department of Higher Education OER grant funds. In order to receive the stipend, participants must agree to attend the event in person (there is no remote option available) and to attend for the entire day (9:00am-3:30pm.) Do you agree to these requirements?
11. Do you have any dietary preferences or needs?

Related opportunity

On Friday, May 30, 2025 (the day after the OER Deep Dive), UNC will host the 2025 Colorado OER Conference in Campus Commons. This is a FREE conference where you’ll hear from and meet faculty, librarians, instructional designers, administrators, and other OER supporters from all over Colorado.

Register for the Colorado OER Conference here!

Questions

Librarians love questions! Contact UNC’s Textbook Affordability Librarian and Chair of the AOER Committee, Nancy Henke, if you want more information: nancy.henke@unco.edu